[ToxicShadow]

Taking in deep, calculated breathes, Taya ran and ran. It seemed illogical to wear a black full body cloak in the middle of a desert, but she wasn't about to abandon her shelter from the world -  and there it was, clinging her to form with every step she took. Currently, the woman was fleeing a scene she wished she hadn't encountered. There had been a gathering of very suspicious looking men, though she inferred that they had been from two seperate groups with the slight differing in their choice of clothing. It looked like some sort of illigal exchange, perhaps of some kind of stolen goods. She only stuck around long enough to figure out that it wasn't creatures they were exchanging. If that had been the case, she wouldn't have been fleeing right now.

[ToxicShadow]

Unware as to rather she had truly been seen or not, she didn't see stopping in her favor. If they had seen her, then she would be in a great deal of trouble if she was caught. She didn't want to harm anyone, even if she certainly would if she had to. Having survived in the outdoors for so long, there was no doubt that the woman could take care of herself. In fact, she was a very dangerous creature when provoked. Only that she was very difficult to provoke most of the time. She was strange in her fighting skills, harnessing more power than one would ever expect to come from that tiny frame of hers. But, then again, having many other forms that her powers were channeled through kind of made up for that in explanation.

[ToxicShadow]

Finally taking the chance to look back behind her, sapphire colored eyes grew wide. Chasing after her were a pair of men, both in similar clothing. They were from the same group, which must have meant that their group was the one that had been charged with keeping everything concealed from sight. If they were doing something illegal, they would intend on preventing her from possibly letting the truth be told. Coming to her conclusional, the woman forced herself to pick up the pace, despite the sand fighting her every step of the way and sinking under her feet.

[ToxicShadow]

Running, running, it never seemed to do any good. Every so slowly, with each step made, the men gained on her little by little. She couldn't out run them. While she was used to living in the outdoors, that more referred to the forest, not the scorching dry desert with equally dry sand that tried to suck you down into it. Without being able to outrun them, she was sure she was going to have to fight them. Not keen on the idea of really harming anyone, there would have to be another way to fight back rather than with the chain whip or daggers that she carried with her. Those weapons would do too much damage if they were used to enough extent to prevent their attack. Which only left her with one choice...

[ToxicShadow]

The men grew closer and she abruptly turned on them, the only real features of her face that could be seen was her lips pulled back, as is she was growling, and that dangerous glint in her eyes. Being turned on so suddenly had startled both of the men, they pausing in their persuit. This was a grave mistake on their part, now giving Taya her own opening for her defensive attack. The woman threw herself at the closest one of them. An unusual tactic, perhaps. Though, while in mid-air, her body began to transform itself. Upon her collison with the one of her attackers and having knocked him down, she had fully transformed into a large creature, no traces of her previous form left behind.

[2.0]

[ToxicShadow]

A roaring growl ripped from the sandy colored Lakundra's throat, her face and, more importantly, her teeth only inches from the man that had fallen beneath her. A look of terror befell the man's face, absolutely horrified as he gasped for air under the sudden weight. In one moment they were chasing a human and the next, one of them was pinned down by a large, angry feline. A forepaw lifted and was pressed against his throat, claws extended just against the flesh without breaking it and spilling his valued blood. Taya submitted her threat. She didn't wish to harm anyone, but she wasn't against doing so for her safety.

[ToxicShadow]

The other man, while just as startled as the one pinned under the Lakundra, tried to shake his fearful surprise. He had to help his partner! Otherwise the boss would kill him. Knowing such, he did the illogical thing, which was to lunge at the cat that pinned the other man. Taya's ears twitched, reacting to his sudden movement. Her head turned quickly to the left, spotting the man in midair. With the power of her back legs she sprung forward to avoid being pinned herself. The sand made a soft cushion for her landing and an easy brace as she spun to face them, her lips raised over her teeth in a growl. One man had now managed to body slam the other, the one beneath writhing in the pain it produced.

[ToxicShadow]

The one man found it in himself to curse their luck as he lifted himself up off of his partner, though it was much more like rolling. He jumped to his feet, haling the other up along with him. The first, the one that Taya had pinned, was holding the area of his lower ribcage, which his friend had stuck his elbow into. With them facing her, the Lakundra's twin tails lashed back and forth, her head lowered to the ground and her red eyes glowing. She was ready to take them both. They were easy enough to outsmart, so it had been shown. Taya began to circle around the outside of them, ready for the pounce. What she really wanted, however, was for them to flee and leave her to herself once more.

[ToxicShadow]

Ultimately, the men were left to make a decision. Their eyes followed Taya as she stalked around them. She would be closing in on an unfortunate one of them. Neither of them wanted to be that man. Neither wanted to face a crazed animal, but one of them would be attacked and one would be allowed to run free. Or, perhaps, they would both be attacked or, the better option for them, they would both be allowed to run free. One man pulled out a blade from his pocket, and the other followed his example. They had no plan, but speaking could have caused the creature to attack. With weapons now in their hands, Taya's red eyes narrowed. They were going to fight back, obviously, and she couldn't have that. This situation was getting dangerous. Now she would have to calculate her attack to outwit their defenses.

[ToxicShadow]

She didn't have time to calculate. One man took it upon himself to lunge at her, blade in hand and aiming for anywhere critical he could get. In this case, he was aiming for her face, much to his mistake. The feline jumped back, instantly snapping her jaws down on his hand. He let out a scream, dropping the weapon he had wielded. She increased the force of her bite before letting go, blooding spilling from gashes caused by her teeth. She could have sworn, somewhere in there, she'd heard the snap of at least one of the fragile bones in his hand, though she forced herself not to think about it as she snapped up the fallen blade by the hilt in her jaws and jumped back. The man held his injured hand with his other, his face marking the pain that even such a minor injury had caused him. He moved backward, away for her. They hadn't come with any other weapon on them.

[3.0]